Moving platform on rail vehicle

Abstract

A rail vehicle having a single frame assembly and a movable platform coupled thereto is provided. The rail vehicle indexes, i.e. advances intermittently, along railroad rails. The movable platform advances in a single direction at a generally steady speed as the rail vehicle indexes along a railroad. The platform is the floor of, or a base for, a cabin preferably having a seat, roof support, and controls for the operator. The platform rides longitudinally with the machine on rollers or slides, thus separating the operator and controls from the rest of the machine. Thus, while the rail vehicle moves in an abrupt stop-and-go manner, the platform and the operator move generally consistently in a single direction.

1. A rail vehicle structured to travel over a railroad, said rail vehicle comprising:
 an elongated single rail vehicle frame assembly having a plurality of rigid members and a plurality of wheels structured to engage a pair of railroad tracks; and 
 a movable platform assembly movably coupled to said frame assembly, said movable platform assembly having a platform, said platform structured to move longitudinally relative to said rail vehicle frame assembly at a generally constant speed relative to a fixed location; 
 wherein as said vehicle frame assembly moves forward, said platform moves rearwardly at a speed slightly slower than the speed of the rail vehicle frame assembly moving forward. 
 
     
     
       2. The rail vehicle of  claim 1  wherein:
 said movable platform assembly includes a movement device having an actuator and a control device; 
 said movement device actuator structured to move said platform forward and aft relative to said rail vehicle frame assembly; and 
 said control device structured to control said movement device. 
 
     
     
       3. The rail vehicle of  claim 2  wherein said rail vehicle frame assembly moves forward relative to a fixed location in an intermittent manner and wherein:
 said control device is structured to actuate said movement device to move said platform forward or aft relative to the rail vehicle frame assembly in response to the movement of the rail vehicle frame assembly relative to a fixed location so that said platform moves forward at a generally constant speed. 
 
     
     
       4. The rail vehicle of  claim 3  wherein said rail vehicle includes a navigation system structured to track the position of the rail vehicle relative to a fixed location and wherein:
 said movement device is structured to monitor the position of the platform relative to said rail vehicle frame assembly and to communicate such positioning data to said control device; 
 said control device structured to receive movement data from said navigation system and to compare the positioning data from the movement device to the movement data from the navigation system and determine the relative motion of the rail vehicle frame assembly and the platform and to adjust the motion of said platform so that said platform moves forward relative to a fixed location at a generally constant speed. 
 
     
     
       5. The rail vehicle of  claim 4  wherein:
 said movement device includes an actuator coupled to said platform; and 
 said movement device actuator structured to move said platform longitudinally with respect to the frame assembly. 
 
     
     
       6. The rail vehicle of  claim 5  wherein said movement device actuator is selected from the group consisting of: pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, electric motors, pneumatic motors, hydraulic motors, or electric linear actuators. 
     
     
       7. The rail vehicle of  claim 5  wherein said platform supports an operator cabin. 
     
     
       8. The rail vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said platform supports an operator cabin. 
     
     
       9. A rail vehicle structured to travel over a railroad, said rail vehicle comprising:
 a single frame assembly having a plurality of rigid members and a plurality of wheels structured to engage a pair of railroad rails; 
 a propulsion device coupled to said frame assembly and structured to move said frame assembly over said railroad tracks; 
 a navigation system structured to control the propulsion device and the motion of the frame assembly; 
 a moveable platform assembly having a platform movably coupled to said frame assembly; and 
 said movable platform assembly structured to move said platform longitudinally relative to said rail vehicle frame assembly so that as said frame assembly moves forward, said platform moves rearwardly at a speed slightly slower than the speed of the frame assembly moving forward, wherein said platform moves at a generally constant speed relative to a fixed location. 
 
     
     
       10. The rail vehicle of  claim 9  wherein:
 said movable platform assembly includes a movement device and a control device; 
 said movement device structure to move said platform forward and aft relative to said rail vehicle frame assembly; and 
 said control device structured to control said movement device. 
 
     
     
       11. The rail vehicle of  claim 10  wherein said rail vehicle frame assembly moves forward relative to a fixed location in an intermittent manner and wherein:
 said control device is structured to actuate said movement device to move said platform forward or aft relative to the rail vehicle frame assembly in response to the movement of the rail vehicle frame assembly relative to a fixed location so that said platform moves forward at a generally constant speed. 
 
     
     
       12. The rail vehicle of  claim 11  wherein:
 said movement device is structured to monitor the position of the platform relative to said rail vehicle frame assembly and to communicate such positioning data to said control device; 
 said navigation system is structured to measure the generally linear movement of said rail vehicle over said rails and to communicate such movement data to said control device; 
 said control device structure to compare the positioning data from the movement device to the movement data from the navigation system and determine the relative motion of the rail vehicle frame assembly and the platform and to adjust the motion of said platform so that said platform moves forward relative to a fixed location at a generally constant speed. 
 
     
     
       13. The rail vehicle of  claim 12  wherein:
 said movement device includes an actuator coupled to said platform; and 
 said movement device actuator structured to move said platform longitudinally with respect to the frame assembly. 
 
     
     
       14. The rail vehicle of  claim 13  wherein said movement device actuator is selected from the group consisting of: pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, electric motors; pneumatic motors, hydraulic motors, or electric linear actuators. 
     
     
       15. The rail vehicle of  claim 14  wherein said platform supports an operator cabin. 
     
     
       16. The rail vehicle of  claim 9  wherein said platform supports an operator cabin. 
     
     
       17. A method of working on a railroad using a rail vehicle structured to intermittently advance along a pair of rails, said rail vehicle having a single frame assembly with a plurality of rigid members and a plurality of wheels structured to engage a pair of railroad tracks, a propulsion device coupled to said frame assembly and structured to move said frame assembly over said railroad rails, a navigation system structured to control the propulsion device and the motion of the frame assembly, a moveable platform assembly movably coupled to said frame assembly, and, said movable platform assembly structured to move relative to said frame assembly, said platform structured to move longitudinally relative to said rail vehicle frame at a generally constant speed relative to a fixed location, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) when said vehicle moves forward, moving said platform rearwardly at a speed slightly slower than the speed of the rail vehicle moving forward; 
 b) when said rail vehicle stops, moving said platform forwardly; 
 c) repeating steps (a) and (b); 
 whereby said platform moves at a generally constant speed relative to a fixed location. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17  wherein said rail vehicle includes at least one tamping device, said tamping device structure to tamp ballast under railroad ties, and wherein during the step of moving said platform forwardly, said tamping device is actuated to tamp said ballast. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein said movable platform assembly includes a movement device and a control device, said movement device structured to move said platform forward and aft relative to said rail vehicle frame assembly, said control device structured to control said movement device and adapt the speed of the platform based on additional data, and wherein
 a) during said tamping operation, providing feedback to said control device indicating the tamping operation is slower than a typical tamping operation; and 
 b) slowing the forward motion of said platform.